Cartridge case - advice on fitting

[Wyowally]

I am making rifle buttstock risers and covers for hunting rifles. I want to add an offside cartridge holder and have some examples and ideas. Out of all the ways to hold the actual cartridges, I have found this to be quite appealing. I can make and stitch the holder itself the way I want - I am looking for advice on creating the front panel as it shows in this picture - a case being produced in South Africa. To get even spacing, snugness and consistency looks to be a challenge. it appears each needs to be fitted for sure to the particular cartridge involved. Even the example has slightly crooked seams. I struggle with how wide to make the piece that forms the individual cartridge compartments. Thinking of taking a piece that is way overwidth the starting with the middle cartridge, form and stitch, then go left, right, left, right in order to do five. Wide open to suggestions!!  Mine will have a flap coming over the top with some kind of closure, so falling out shouldn't be a problem.

Edited December 14, 2021 by Wyowally
top flap closure

[chuck123wapati]

57 minutes ago, Wyowally said:

I am making rifle buttstock risers and covers for hunting rifles. I want to add an offside cartridge holder and have some examples and ideas. Out of all the ways to hold the actual cartridges, I have found this to be quite appealing. I can make and stitch the holder itself the way I want - I am looking for advice on creating the front panel as it shows in this picture - a case being produced in South Africa. To get even spacing, snugness and consistency looks to be a challenge. it appears each needs to be fitted for sure to the particular cartridge involved. Even the example has slightly crooked seams. I struggle with how wide to make the piece that forms the individual cartridge compartments. Thinking of taking a piece that is way overwidth the starting with the middle cartridge, form and stitch, then go left, right, left, right in order to do five. Wide open to suggestions!!  Mine will have a flap coming over the top with some kind of closure, so falling out shouldn't be a problem.

take about a 1/2 " strip of leather of the correct thickness and press it down around the shell case at the tightness you want it to hold the shells, mark where you would want to put your stitches  then lay it flat and measure it. That should give you the amount of leather needed between stitches and you can multiply that to get your overall length for the top piece. it appears that the one you show is sewn with more width at the top than the bottom making the stitch patterns somewhat vee shaped if it were to be deconstructed and laid flat. You can figure that by measuring the cartridge at the top and bottom both then draw it out on paper and make a stitching pattern . Some tweaking will be needed to get it perfect. I like you idea of a flap I,ve lost a bunch of ammo trying these things out and went back to pocket carrying my ammo. lol

I wish you all the luck and am waiting to see the outcome.

Edited December 14, 2021 by chuck123wapati

[Samalan]

It's easy stuff put a piece leather on the table then take a leather strap that's the same thickness as your outside cover piece dampen the edge of that just a bit place it over the bullet case then with your thumbs nice and straight up and down pressing your thumb nails against the leather around  the bullet case hold it nice and tight push down and mark the leather strap with your thumb nails then lay it out flat and measure the distance thumbnail to thumbnail that length x 5 plus about 3/16 on each end and that's the length of the front piece. then the back piece  take the with of the bullet case plus the thickness of the leather  twice plus 1/32  that's where the stitch seams will be add those up 5 times plus the 3/16 on each end and that's the length of the back . or you can do all sorts of math and end up with the same thing this method works every time for me  good luck .

[Samalan]

Also If you want a loser fit wrap a piece of tape around the bullet case first  you will need nice square lines across the leather for the front and back for the stitch guide lines. for the front piece 4 oz leather should do it

[Samalan]

just an idea if it's covered this guy wanted pistol and rifle in the same slide covered 270 win and 357 mag 

[Matt S]

4 hours ago, Samalan said:

just an idea if it's covered this guy wanted pistol and rifle in the same slide covered 270 win and 357 mag 

Now *that* is a neat rig. 

[Samalan]

Thanks   Matt  it was a fun job.